Not Fair
by Tifa Strifeheart
Summary: A night out brings mixed feelings.


**Not Fair**

**Tifa Strifeheart**

"So? What do you think?" Yugi looked up from the novel he had been reading and stared across the room at his yami. Atem had been acting weird all night and now that he was dressing; the moment almost upon them, he was acting even more so. But then it wasn't every night that Atem was able to go out on a date. Closing the book and putting it down on the bed, Yugi straightened up and made his face serious. He even went so far as to cock his head to one side something that he only did in deep thought.

"Well…" Yugi shimmied off the bed and stood placing a hand on his chin as if in deep consideration. Atems brown drew in harder and the lines on his forehead became more prominent; he tugged lightly on one of the sleeves of his black suit. Yugi took a step forward and then suddenly ginned reaching out to adjust the black tie against the wine red background of his yami's dress shirt. "You look wonderful, Yami." There was a light dusting on his dark sides' cheeks and the tension seemed to leave his face.

"Do you really think so?' Yugi smiled fondly at the other and nodded.

"Yup. You're going to knock her out." Yami frowned.

"Why would I want to knock her out?" Yugi couldn't help laughing and he didn't try to. When he was finally able to see again there was Yami giving him that fond look that had his stomach tightening in a far too familiar way. Ignoring his gut, Yugi instead straightened from his laughing fit and smacked Yami on the arm.

"You know very well what I mean. " Yami caught his hand. By the serious look in his eyes Yugi could tell that whatever his yami was about to say was not going to be a joke.

"I…. Yugi, I want to thank you." Yamis gaze was steady and Yugi as caught like the proverbial deer in head lights. "Without your help I don't know how any of this would be possible. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you Yugi." He had begun to shake his head, still aware that one of his hands was still in Yami's. He opened his mouth to protest as always but Yami cut him off with a gesture. "No don't bush it off. If you hadn't solved the puzzle, Yugi. Freed me. Kami! Because of you I am able to stand here, before you, in this body. I don't think that there is any way for me to possibly repay you for what you have done but if there is anything, anything that you could possibly ever need from me Yugi, never hesitate to ask… I am yours."

Something dark, hidden inside of him, lifted it's had then; something that had once been bright and shiny, something that had become twisted with hurt and rejection and time. It was crippled and Yugi had hidden it away where it would cause no one any harm. It perked up at these words and began to whisper insistences. Telling him to take what his yami was offering knowing full well that, eventually, Yami will succumb even if it was by misguided guilt. Shaking his head Yugi shoved down the consuming maw that those feelings were and smiled up brightly at the one things that could fill that hole.

"Yami what are you talking about. We're friends. It's the least that I could do." He chuckled at the disbelieving look that was on his partners face and chuckled. "Look Yami, if it means that much to you, once you job starts to pay out really well you can buy me food for the rest of our lives, deal?" Yami smiled at him and Yugi's heart melted.

Yami chuckled. "You have a deal, partner." Yugi pulled his hand out of Yami's gip and was behind him in an instant.

"Now go. You don't want to be late. Anzu will surely talk my ear off for it if you are." Yami laughed now batting at him playfully as Yugi ushered him into the store. Half way through the darkened shop Yami pulled away from him and tuned around.

"So… It's alright?" Yugi smiled and nodded.

"You look great." He grabbed the car keys off the counter near the register and tossed them to Yami who caught them with ease. "You'll do great. Now go." Yami nodded.

"Thank you."

"No need. Besides I'll be awake all night waiting for you to get back and tell me everything." Yami chuckled then and he was gone. For a moment Yugi just stood there staring at the door his partner had just disappeared though. After a good long time he finally went back into the house.

Grandpa was waiting at the foot of the stairs. There was a glass of water in his hand and he had a foot on the first step. Obviously he had come out of bed and downstairs in order to get a drink. The kind thing to do would be to leave the elderly man to his own devices. Grampa's foot lifted off the step and back onto the floor.

"Yugi?" If he was kind he wouldn't place the burden of what he felt on this wonderful man. Now the elderly man was completely facing him.

"Yugi has Yami gone on his date?" Even though he has always been a stable force in his life, like a rock that he had always known was there, his grandfather had gone through more than enough.

Grandpa had put his water down now, the glass against the last step for protection and he was facing Yugi again. "Oh Yugi my boy."

He could barely see the other man now through the blurriness of his vision even though he acknowledged that the man had opened his arms.

"It's going to be okay." Yugi shook his head. It wasn't going to be okay. He could feel the tears running down his face. It wasn't fair, not to grandpa.

"Yugi." It wasn't fair, not to him. "Come here."

And he did.


End file.
